Venerable Pimen Ugreshsky (Myasnikov), Archimandrite

Pimen (Myasnikov), Ugreshsky
(1810 - 1880), archimandrite, reverend Commemorated on August 17 and in the Cathedral of Moscow Saints

In the world, Pyotr Dmitrievich Myasnikov, was born on August 10, 1810 in the city of Vologda. His parents, Dmitry Afanasyevich and Avdotya Petrovna, were pious, honest and wealthy people and came from the trading class.

When Peter was seven years old, they began to teach him to read and write. There were no public schools in Vologda at that time, and the children of middle-class people learned to read and write wherever they could. Not far from the Myasnikovs’ house lived an old woman—Krylova, a clergywoman, a Zyryanka from the city of Nikolsk. This old woman had a small house and was busy baking cheesecakes; She had three daughters who were no longer young - the eldest, Pelageya Egorovna, was a dressmaker, and both younger ones were shoemakers and restless singers. Pelageya Egorovna had the job of being a literacy teacher for the boy Peter. He and his friend named Andryusha went to see this teacher every day.

But it is probable that the learned dressmaker did not possess in equal measure the ability to sew and the ability to teach; Two years had passed since the boys studied, but they still couldn’t read at all. Then they took students from Pelageya Egorovna. Andryusha was sent to be a coppersmith, and Petrusha was placed with his godfather, who completed his godson’s education by teaching him to read and write. However, even here the success was not complete: the godson learned to read well and smartly, but as for penmanship, he was not at all good at this science, and he acquired small and illegible handwriting.

When Peter was already ten or eleven years old and could read freely, he began to read the Bible, a large and clear print from Elizabethan times that was in his parents' house. Reading the divine book had a great influence on him and left indelible marks on the youth’s mind: he cooled towards everything temporary and, thinking more about the heavenly. rather than about earthly things, he began to think about how he could enter a monastery. His father was a church warden in his parish, and Peter always went to church whenever he could. He also often went to the Monastery of the Spirits and, meeting there with one ascetic, became acquainted with him. He was a pious man and visited almost nowhere except the temple of God. He lived in a secluded cell, which was built for him in their yard by the elderly girls Achyabyeva, respected by everyone in Vologda. This ascetic, to whom Peter began to go, supported his pious mood in the young man.

Having reached the age of seventeen, Peter took out the book “The Spiritual Alphabet” and, after reading it, was finally confirmed in the idea of ​​renouncing the world.

Knowing the tough and intractable character of his father, who was not too inclined towards monasticism, Peter was very afraid to open up to him, anticipating strong resistance on his part. Fortunately, two of his younger sisters asked their father to leave to join the Goritsky Trinity Monastery. This made it easier for Peter to explain with his father, and he, although not very willingly and not suddenly, agreed not to interfere with the pious young man following the example of his sisters.

The young novice Peter was on obedience in the cellar, as an assistant cellarer. He spent the time of his new leadership in the Novozersky monastery not without benefit, and after many years, remembering his residence there, he told many details of what he saw and various circumstances of his life there, which were deeply etched in his memory.

After the death of Archimandrite Theophan, which followed on December 3, 1833, Peter lived for several more months in the Novoezersky monastery, and in June he went to his homeland, Vologda, to seek his dismissal from society.

Father Ignatius (Brianchaninov), who was at that time abbot of the Lopotov monastery, provided Peter with two letters, one of which was addressed to the famous Optina elder and teacher, Father Leonid (Nagolkin), the other to Father Ilarius the Younger, who once lived in the Svirsky monastery together with Brianchaninov.

Thanks to these two letters, Peter was warmly received in Optina Hermitage.

Hieromonk Hilary, to whom Peter also had a letter from Father Ignatius, was a sacristan in Optina Hermitage, and since besides him there was also another Hilary, this one, in contrast, was called the younger one.

On the recommendation of Abbot Ignatius (Brianchaninov), in 1834 Hieromonk Ilarius was appointed rector of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery of the Moscow Diocese, with elevation to the rank of abbot, and, leaving for his new place of service, he took with him the novice Peter as his cell attendant.

When he entered Ugresha, Peter was a perfect youth, and although he was already twenty-four years old, he seemed incomparably younger; small in stature, strong build, but not too dense, with lively, penetrating eyes that saw everything, noticed everything; with dark, wide eyebrows and thick, silky dark brown hair; there was still no sign of a beard or mustache.

He arrived from Vologda in a cassock made of thick black cloth of the “Optina” cut and in a leather belt made of seal, known as “Solovetsky” belts. Such attire seemed very strange to the Ugresh brethren; they made fun of him a lot; they said that in a regular monastery they don’t dress like that; they called him a cassock, but Peter was not at all offended by this and, not paying attention to what others said, and whether they found his clothes good or bad, continued to wear his cassock as long as it suited him.

Two weeks after his arrival, he submitted a petition to be accepted into the brotherhood of the monastery.

At the abbot's cells there was no special closet for the cell attendant, but in the hallway there was a corner with a window fenced off, and here Peter lived for the first five years of his stay on Ugresh.

On March 26, 1838, Abbot Hilary tonsured the novice Peter into the mantle and gave him the name Pimen in honor of the great ascetic of monasticism, as if foreshadowing to him that his name in modern monasticism would be honored and remain ever-memorable. After that, he spent a whole week incessantly staying in the Assumption Church, where he was tonsured, and soon, dismissed from his position as cell attendant, he received a separate cell.

All his previous obediences remained with him, and instead of cell obedience, he received church obedience.

In February 1839, monk Pimen was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon.

The Ugresh treasurer, Father Seraphim, a very good monk and a capable man, was transferred at the beginning of 1839 by Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow to the Moscow Znamensky Monastery, and in his place Hierodeacon Pimen was appointed to correct the position. Despite the fact that he was barely thirty years old and there were hieromonks in the monastery much older than him, none of them was chosen by the bishop. Less than a year later, the abbot of the monastery was ordered to send Hierodeacon Pimen to the vicar of Moscow for ordination as a hieromonk. On April 25, 1840, Hierodeacon Pimen was ordained to the rank of hieromonk. February 26, 1844 - confirmed as treasurer.

Hegumen Ilarius paid little attention to the material needs of the monastery, thinking more about its spiritual structure. Hieromonk Pimen had to take care of her well-being, and all the burdens of management lay on him. Little by little, he became accustomed to them and imperceptibly prepared for the multifaceted activities that the populous and extensive monastery, thanks to him, flourished and became famous, later demanded of him.

On October 16, 1853, through the efforts of Father Pimen and with the support of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery was transformed from a staff monastery into a communal monastery, and Hieromonk Pimen was elevated to the rank of abbot and appointed rector of the monastery in view of the fact that Abbot Ilarius submitted a petition for retirement.

On August 24, 1858, for outstanding services in establishing the monastery, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow elevated Hegumen Pimen to the rank of archimandrite. During this time, through the efforts of Father Pimen, five churches were built in the monastery; Nicholas Cathedral in 1843, the Church of St. Mary of Egypt in 1851, the Assumption Church in 1852 and 1860 - the Sorrow and Peter and Paul Skete. All of them were consecrated by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow.

An event that was very important for the Ugreshsky Monastery dates back to 1866, which brought great honor to Father Pimen and earned him the constant, endless gratitude of thousands of people - this is the establishment and opening of the monastic public school.

In 1869, Archimandrite Pimen was appointed dean of the cenobitic monasteries of the Moscow diocese. The following monasteries came under his leadership: Trinity Kolomensky Novo-Golutvin, Nikolo-Ugreshsky, Nikolo-Peshnoshsky, Staro-Golutvin Kolomensky, Bobrenev, Belopesotsky, Nikolo-Berlyukovsky, Spaso-Guslitsky, Davydovskaya Hermitage, Catherine Hermitage and women's monasteries: Borodinsky, Anosin-Borisoglebsky, Spaso-Vlakhernsky, Krestovozdvizhensky-Lukinsky and Odigitrievskaya-Zosimova hermitages.

Died on August 17, 1880. The veneration of Archimandrite Pimen began immediately after his blessed death; many pilgrims came to the place of his burial. The chapel over the grave of Father Pimen was never deserted; many brought him their prayers, sighs, sorrows and joys.

The resumption of veneration of Archimandrite Pimen occurred along with the opening of the monastery in 1990. After his glorification as a locally revered saint of the Moscow diocese, by the determination of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on October 6, 2004, he was canonized as a general church saint with commemoration on August 17.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 2

Having loved the monastic life from youth/ and having moved into the Ugresh monastery,/ you gathered multitudes of monks/ and you did good to all who needed it,/ warming their hearts and bearing burdens,/ a kind shepherd You appeared,/ O Reverend Pimen, // pray to Christ God to save our souls .

Kontakion, tone 4

Having loved the Ugreshskaya monastery, like the venerable Pimen,/ and you were the shepherd and builder of that,/ obeying the will of God in everything,/ you were the monk, the official and the image of humility, you appeared.// Prayers Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion, voice 1

Through you, Reverend Father Pimen,/ the Ugreshskaya monastery flourished with the favor of God,/ your memory is now celebrated/ and exultantly calls:/ glory to Him who gave you strength, glory to Him who crowned you , // glory to the One who works for you to heal everyone.

Brief biography

To the west of the Nile Delta is the Libyan Desert. In Egypt, this area was called the Skete Desert. With the spread of Christianity, the Egyptian desert served as a refuge for hermit monks.

Lifeless spaces are located in close proximity to an oasis along the Nile. The desert for the Egyptians was a region of death: arid territory and sands, a place for graves and robbers. The fellahs were terrified of the desert. To go there forever, you needed an important incentive and courage. Christians who accepted the Bible were not so afraid of the desert. Zealous believers, wishing to remain virgins, began to go first to the border of settlements and the desert, and then move further and further to serve God and be alone with God.

They left human settlements to remain in humble solitude, offering prayers to God and fighting temptations. Harsh climatic conditions gave the early Christians the opportunity to test their strength of spirit while serving the Lord. Some of them showed miracles of holiness and became a magnet, attracting followers and imitators who settled nearby to the waterless region. For beginners, such monks became mentors, spiritual fathers (abba).

In the 4th century, three communities of monks (hermits and ascetics) were formed in the desert area: Nitria, Kellia, Skitis. The name of the latter gave rise to the name – Skete Desert.

Origin

Avva Pimen was an Egyptian. The family was committed to the Christian faith; besides him, his mother had 6 more sons. Pimen's older brothers left home for the Skete desert and became ascetic monks. When Pimen turned 15 years old, he followed them into a monastery and took monastic vows.

Life

The brother monks led a strict lifestyle. The rumor about the seven ascetic monks reached their mother, who decided to visit her sons. Having learned that their mother had come to them, the sons locked themselves in the cell and did not come out to her. The upset woman began to cry and reproach them for ingratitude: why don’t they want to see her, because she has the right to this, since she fed her breasts.

From behind a closed door, Pimen answered her for all the brothers, asking how she wanted to see them: now, for a short time, or in a future life forever. Thus, he made her understand that today's meeting could seduce them and deprive them of God's mercy. The mother understood why her sons were avoiding her and left, deciding not to tempt her sons with her tears and requests.

The reason why Pimen and his brothers did not want to see their mother lies in the prohibition for desert monks to see and communicate with women. Women were perceived as tools in the hands of Satan, or Satan himself, taking on a female form. It was forbidden to see, eat from the same dishes, or lie on the bed after a woman. Some hermits who went deep into the desert did not see a woman’s form for 20-40 years.

In 407, Arab nomads came to the Skete desert. The pagans began to destroy monasteries and kill monks. Seven brothers escaped from the Bedouins and went to Teneruf, on the banks of the Nile. The elder brother, Anuvius, became the head (abba) of the family community. Pimen showed outstanding abilities in spiritual mentoring, and he also began to be called Abba (spiritual mentor). Abba Anuvius began sending visitors who came for advice to Pimen. Abba Pimen never entered into a conversation in the presence of Anuvius; in everything he obeyed the organization of the community’s way of life.

The hermits lived according to a strict schedule:

• from early morning until noon they wove ropes, baskets, and mats from reeds;
• during the hottest three hours they read;
• collected brushwood;
• in the evening they continued to work for 4 hours;
• We prayed for 4 hours;
• We slept for 4 hours.

The hermits ate bread, which they bought with money received from the sale of their products. Pimen was very abstinent in food, eating no more than 2 loaves of bread a day, and often did not eat for 2-3 days. By torturing himself in this way, Abba Pimen gained great experience in fasting.

Subsequently, other monks turned to him for advice on how to tame their flesh and overcome the feeling of hunger. Pimen never advised taking long breaks from eating. He recommended that hermits eat small meals every day. This way of eating, in his opinion, was not burdensome and did not allow one to fall into the sin of pride or gluttony. Everything excessive, as Abba believed, is a demonic instigation.

In relations with people, Pimen was very reserved. He believed that the cell was the grave of a monk who, like the deceased, could not have earthly attachments. One day, a close relative of his was arrested, for whom Abba could intercede. But Pimen refused, ordering the trial to be carried out according to the law.

The fame of his asceticism and wisdom became known throughout Egypt. The rulers and ordinary fellahs wanted to see Abba. But Pimen avoided such contacts. If they started talking about general topics in his presence, he would remain silent, not expressing his judgment. His keen interest and participation aroused specific problems.

The depth of thoughts and precision of formulation amazed the monks who turned to Abba Pimen for advice. Collections of apophthegmata (aphorisms) contain sayings of the “Fathers of the Desert” regarding the questions that students and visitors asked them. Of the 1000 aphorisms, a fifth belongs to Pimen.

Examples of the answers of the Monk Pimen, recorded by monks for edification to themselves and others:

1. Do not allow passionate thoughts to take over your soul. A person is not able to prevent them from appearing, but he has the power to resist them, then they will disappear.
2. The main thing for the salvation of the soul is humility, which can be achieved through constant self-condemnation and humiliation in front of any person.
3. Just as drops of water falling on a stone undermine it, so constant prayer softens the heart and makes it susceptible to the perception of fear of the Lord.
4. He who speaks in the name of God acts well, and he who remains silent in the name of God also acts well.
5. The duration of repentance for sin should depend on the depth and sincerity of repentance.
6. The main rules for a person are to fear God, pray often and do good deeds.

Pimen himself was mercilessly strict with himself. First of all, he struggled with absent-mindedness. Before leaving his cell, he spent an hour in thought, analyzing his thoughts in order to cut off sinful ones. Abba reached such a limit in self-abasement that he sincerely considered himself worthy of punishment on a par with Satan. The saint believed that without mortification of the flesh and a constant state of mourning for one’s sins before the Lord, it was impossible to become a monk.

Demise

The monk died at the age of 110 in the monastery, where he went with his brothers. After his death, he was canonized for his humility, wisdom, and ascetic deeds, which became an example for other monks to follow.

Assessments of life and activities

He was neither self-seeking, nor acquisitive, nor a lover of things.
Having hundreds of thousands in his hands, he did not save a single ruble for himself, and he ordered all the money he had to be recorded as monastic money. He constantly made every effort to strengthen the material well-being of the Ugresh Monastery. At the same time, he remembered his monastic title and therefore took every step with great caution, fearing to give rise to an unfavorable review of monasticism, and with great caution he accepted what was offered by benefactors. He knew how to demand and, while punishing strictly, loved and comforted a worthy person from the brethren and knew how to generously reward and encourage. He always carried a lot of silver coins in his pocket, and when a passerby, beggar, worker or wanderer asked him when they met him, he never refused and gave as much as he considered necessary and sufficient.

On fast days and during the prescribed fasts, Father Pimen, in accordance with the rules, ate proper food in moderation and during the Great Pentecostal period, although he strictly abstained from fish, he did not depress himself with excessive abstinence, but used to say: “God grant that we observe this exactly.” “What we are supposed to do according to the charter is not to philosophize, but to carry out in simplicity.”

Father Pimen was always zealous for church services, strictly adhered to the church rules and did not allow any deviations either in the service itself or in the hours of worship, which, once established, were never changed.
He himself, as long as his health permitted, always came to matins, which began at three o’clock on weekdays, and on Sundays and holidays an hour or half an hour earlier; he himself appointed which of the hieromonks or hierodeacons would read the Six Psalms, chose from the Prologue the reading for the sixth hymn and stayed until the end, but did not stay to pray at the early mass, but came to the late one. Quite often on weekdays he himself read the kathismas or the canon, not very loudly, but so clearly and clearly that his every word was heard throughout the church. His reading was distinguished by simplicity and smoothness: he did not lower or raise his voice, he read measuredly and slowly. He did not approve of those who, as he put it, wag their voices when reading. “Read simply and clearly, and do not wag your voice;
the divine word has its own power and does not require that we try to give it expression with our voice; I even consider this to be conceit, as if I can make more impressions with my reading than the meaning of what the Church has decided to read; the word of God will have more effect than our voice.” He was pious, without foolishness or doubting the teachings of the Holy Church or the Holy Fathers. He often happened to say to the laity, in response to some doubt or apology, that they were not strictly following the rules of the Church:

“We have nothing to doubt here, the Holy Church teaches this, and we cannot excuse ourselves with our philosophies; Just read what the holy fathers say about this, and you will see, but they pleased God, and they were smarter than many of your current learned wise men, who only philosophize and themselves are mistaken, and lead others into temptation and sin. None of us will be justified from our deeds, and if you feel that you are making deviations, then do not justify yourself, but humble yourself, realize that you have sinned and live badly, not as you should, not according to the divine word, and resort to God’s mercy , and don’t say: how important is it that I do this or don’t do that. The importance is very great; you didn’t want to know what the holy fathers, the illustrious saints of God, who were no match for us, said about this, you deliberately made deviations from the charter of the Church, therefore, you are an apostate and did not fulfill the law of Christ, therefore, what are you guilty of? Do you know? Neither more nor less, only fiery hell. So repent, don’t make excuses. Recognize your weakness, ask God for forgiveness, and don’t dare say: how important! It's a sin of Imashi. That’s it, sir, you won’t be greater than the Church, you won’t be higher than the saints.”

And in this spirit, Father Pimen very often used to say things to worldly people, not at all embarrassed by the significance of his face.

“If we don’t talk, who will? If they don’t ask, don’t impose your beliefs, don’t come with unsolicited advice; and if they asked you, gave you a reason to speak, they want to hear a word that will benefit you, there is nothing to be shy or tactful about; tell it like it is, not to its face. The Lord will demand from you: you could have told the truth, warned your brother from sin and destruction, and did not do this out of empty, stupid worldly gratification. You will not be a servant to two masters: serve God, not man; But if he gets angry with you for telling the truth, what good does that do you? And he is a man just like you; it’s bad for him, not for us, we spoke the word of truth, we did not please people.”

Venerable Pimen of Ugreshsky

August 30 – memory of the Venerable Pimen of Ugresh

In the Near Moscow region, a town that still retains its Soviet nickname “Dzerzhinsky,” over the last quarter century it has been possible to revive a unique shrine - the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery. This ancient monastery, founded at the end of the 14th century on the site of the appearance of the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to the blessed Prince Demetrius Donskoy, became famous for a whole host of saints. Among them is the Venerable Pimen of Ugreshsky, the long-term abbot of this monastery in the second half of the 19th century.

From the Life of St. Pimen of Ugresh

“Reverend Pimen (in the world - Peter Myasnikov) was born in 1810 in Vologda. From childhood, Peter spent every free minute in church, and at the age of twenty he met Dmitry Brianchaninov, the future Saint Ignatius, a spiritual conversation with whom finally confirmed the young man’s desire to retire to a monastery. On Lazarus Saturday in 1838, within the walls of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya monastery, Peter Myasnikov took monastic vows with the name Pimen. And 14 years later, on November 16, 1852, Metropolitan Filaret (Drozdov) entrusted Father Pimen with the management of the monastery..."

Father Pimen turned the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, which was practically ruined in the 18th century, into one of the largest spiritual centers in the Moscow region. Many residents of Moscow and the surrounding area flocked here for spiritual nourishment, and the brightest conservative thinker of the 19th century, Konstantin Leontyev, was at one time a simple novice here, leaving a brilliant diplomatic career for this.

From a letter from K.N. Leontyev to Count N.P. Ignatiev, November 1874

“This week, the Lord, having finally heeded my prayers, vouchsafed me to be accepted into the brethren of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery near Moscow. Father Archimandrite Pimen, our abbot, is merciful and condescending to me not at all because of my merits, for at my age, as you know, it is already difficult to become a good monk; There are too many branches that have grown that need to be cut off!..”

In conditions when the educated class of the Russian Empire had already moved quite far away from the Church, Father Pimen managed not only to build church walls, but also to spiritually instruct the people around him. And first of all - by the personal example of a true man of prayer and non-covetous person. Thus, Hieromonk Filaret (Iglitsky), dean of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, in a conversation with Tsargrad.TV, especially noted:

“The main thing he left behind was the example of his life. We sometimes say that the monk did not show any special feats, did not perform any special miracles. But it’s enough just to look at the everyday life of this person, the everyday life of an honest, conscientious monk of that time. One thing is to attend church services, which begin at 3 a.m. and fulfill all monastic obediences and fulfill all monastic vows (and we know that he was a great non-covetous person; after his death he did not have a penny of personal savings left). And if we try to apply all this to ourselves, we will see that for our time and for modern man these feats are practically unthinkable..."

And now, when after decades of Soviet desolation the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery has been revived again, the fruits of the labors of St. Pimen of Ugreshsky are especially noticeable here. The memory of this saint is kept especially reverently here, and his honest relics are one of the main shrines of the monastery. At the site of the original burial of Father Pimen, a temple was erected in his honor relatively recently.

Reverence

The name Pimen, translated from Greek, means shepherd or shepherd. Such was the Venerable Pimen the Great in life. Canonization with the rank of venerable means that he was an outstanding monk. The name Great is given as a sign of great humility, modesty, and selflessness in serving God. The feast day of St. Venerable Pimen is celebrated on September 9 according to the Gregorian style. In the church of St. Pimen in Novye Vorotniki, the day of remembrance coincides with the celebration of the consecration of the throne in his honor.

The meaning of a saint in Orthodoxy

St. Pimen is considered one of the founders of monasticism. His edifying statements were included in the collection of short stories and sayings of early Christian ascetics - “The ABC Patericon.” In his moral teachings there is a substantiation of the essence of serving God by a person who has left worldly life for a monastery. The saint’s sayings concerning the morality and spirituality of a Christian are important. They provide a succinct and intelligible explanation of what a believer should do in order to cleanse his thoughts of sinful motives.

Thanks to Pimen the Great, the apothegms of the “Fathers of Monasticism” were recorded, by which one can judge the life of the first hermits and the problems they faced. These sayings were spoken under certain circumstances in order to convey their experience of asceticism to young monks.